Collins Hackle
Farm

Not far from the Beaverkill and other legendary Catskill streams, you'll find another legend, Charlie Collins.

For 30 years now, he has been perfecting hackle for tying catskill style dry flies. Collins Hackle has flexable stems that don't twist and short stiff barbs, making them a joy to tie with.

Here you'll find his more popular colors. To see his full line, you can buy direct from Mr. Collins, his website is collinshacklefarm.com.

Hendrickson dry tied by Elsie Darbee of Livingston Manor, New York

Just what is the Catskill-Style?

Catskill Style Dry Fly patterns were designed to immitate mayflies floating on the water's surface. This style of fly tying required a feather with a stiff barb and a flexable stem to palmer around a small hook.

Stiff spade hackle was used to tie in the tails and two neck hackles were tied in behind the wing and wound forward for the collar.

Quite simply, this is the only reason that "Genetic Dry Fly Hackle" was developed. Early growers like Darbee, Bitner, and Minor bred roosters for just this style of fly.

Selecting only roosters with the stiffest barbs and the most flexable stems to sire their next generation of fly tying feathers is the foundation of "genetic hackle". All in hopes that the next years feathers would tie a better fly.

Today Collins Hackle continues to work with these lines. He has quite a loyal following among those tying and fishing these tried and true patterns.

Collins Dry Fly Rooster Sets

Grade #2 /$50.00

Cape and Saddle in one Pack!

Collins Hackle Farm packages the cape and saddle together for one price.

If you're tying smaller sizes, grade #1 will have more 20 and 22's.

Grade #2 is a great value for the widest range of sizes. The stems are flexable and the barbs are stiff.

And if you're on a budget or just getting started, you won't be diappointed in the number of flies you'll tie with the feathers on a Grade #3 cape.

Grade #1 / $65 - sorry, out of stock

To order, choose a color

Grade #2 / $55 - sorry, out of stock

To order, choose a color

Grade #3 / $35 - sorry, out of stock

To order, choose a color

To check out, click the "view cart" button

Collins Tailing Packs

$5.00

Collins Spade Hackle - Brown

Spade Hackle are the feathers harvested from the shoulders of a dry fly rooster. It goes without saying that they get their name from their shape.

These are the feathers that the originators of the catskill style used for tailing. The fibers on these feathers are long and stiff, keeping your fly afloat.

These packs have enough spade hackle to tye tails on the flies you'd expect to tie from 3 - 5 full capes.

If there are other colors you are looking for, please contact me.

To order, choose a color

Soft-Hackle Hen Feathers

The feathers on these Collins Hen Necks and Saddles are soft and webby. You'll find a wide range of sizes on these hen capes to meet the needs of most patterns, while feathers on the saddles are larger with rounder edges.

Collins Hen Sets

$20.00

Grizzly Hen Set - Neck and Saddle Patch

The feathers on these Collins Hen Necks and Saddles are soft and webby. The smaller feathers on the cape are a favorite for mayfly wings.

You'll find a wide range of sizes on these hen capes to meet the needs of most patterns, while feathers on the saddles are larger with rounder edges.

Here again, when you purchase a Hen Set, Charlie throws in the saddle at no extra charge.